What is it?
2012 Buick Verano
What's special about it?
Buick's latest offering, the 2012 Verano, which will be revealed at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, is the smallest car in the company's lineup.
With a 105.7-inch wheelbase, the Verano shares its Delta II platform — GM's global compact sedan platform — with the Chevrolet Cruze. Its wheelbase is 3 inches shorter than that of a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and slots the Verano into the compact luxury sedan segment directly between the Audi A3 and A4.
Under the hood there's a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine cranking out 177 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels. This powertrain is good for a claimed 8.0-second 0-60 time and an estimated 31 mpg highway rating. A 2.0-liter turbocharged mill — likely the same one offered in the Regal CXL Turbo — will be offered in the future.
New leather interior colors (ebony, cashmere, Choccachino) are combined with smaller tolerances between the center stack components (1mm) and panel-to-door gaps (5mm). There's also a heated steering wheel and heated seats, which are linked to the Verano's remote-start feature and are automatically activated in temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Other interior features include 10 standard airbags, push-button start, dual-zone climate controls and an electronic parking brake.
Genuine effort has been made to make this littlest Buick one of the quietest cars on the road. Noise-reducing nylon baffles filled with sound-absorbing foam are installed in hollow portions of the body structure. The headliner is made of five layers of thermal acoustic material, the doors are triple-sealed and the windshield and side glass are both laminated. Even the brake and fuel lines are isolated to damp vibration.
Inside Line says: It's a small Buick, which, like sugar-free Red Bull, is sure to be a hit with somebody. — Josh Jacquot, Senior Editor
Add A Comment »
deaconbluz says:
02:26 PM, 03/27/2011
I would be interested in the Buick Verano only because it would probably be the quietest small car on the road. Two things that are usually mutually exclusive. However, they need to offer better fuel efficiency. The larger Malibu gets better highway mileage from the same engine. How about a 1.6 liter direct injection turbo-charged engine with around 170hp and at least 35mpg highway?
dyno says:
04:50 PM, 02/10/2011
Wonder if it has that world class Cruze live rear axle?
jmb997 says:
04:59 PM, 01/25/2011
Edmunds has Great articles and very informative ... I look forward to reading more news and reviews on the latest cars and trucks. Also found some nice wheels rims at Readywheels.com
Thanks
Dan
http://www.readywheels.com/wheels-rims.html?color=165
to626n says:
01:08 AM, 01/14/2011
@ Empee
I see your point as well. The nice thing about having trim levels is that people with tighter budgets or no desire for certain features can save some money. Real luxury buyers won't place value as high as people shopping for a car with a budget of something around 25k. Those people will want to get the most bang for their buck. The ES doesn't promise to be the best value, nor does any other luxury car. People who like Buicks will like the Lacrosse and probably the Verano as well. Your also right as the Lacrosse's low starting price also drew in some new customers. But these are probably customers wanting to step up from a typical family sedan. And thats why the Lacrosse outsells the ES. But then again it's not fair to compare the ES to a base Lacrosse that starts at 10k less than the ES. I haven't seen any numbers of how many CSX Lacrosses Buick has sold, but I wouldn't be surprised if the ES outsells it by 4 or 5 to 1.
to626n says:
12:47 AM, 01/14/2011
@ macine,
Well not exactly, I conceeded that the Lacrosse is a competitor only in the top trim level. But also realize that it also competes with a 4 cylinder Camry, Accord, Fusion, etc in the base trim level. The same cannot be said about the ES and TL which are both luxury cars even in the base no options model. The Lacrosse is a solid effort from GM, possibly the best Buick sedan ever. Can it be a luxury car? Yes. Does it also compete with non luxury family sedans? Also yes.
Empee says:
02:54 PM, 01/13/2011
"You'll never see Lexus, MB, or BMW do this. All of their cars, even the base level with no options, are well equipped with luxury features. Buick tries so hard to pass itself off as a true luxury car, but when they offer a base car that is as stripped as a base Avalon or Taurus it is not a luxury car." - to626n
That's because Buick's goal in terms of craftsmanship and perception is Lexus, but unlike them, MB or BMW, their recent history is one as a luxury-themed mass brand. They weren't particularly lucrative in later years, but that wouldn't make deciding to abandon their previous demographic in the interest of obtaining that goal any smarter. No brand starts totally from scratch unless they've gone totally under, and even then, it's harder work to try and force one into a certain market position than it is to take progressive steps towards it the way Buick is presently.
That said, there are still those who value the attributes of old GM Buicks. . .people who'd otherwise leave the brand if the only LaCrosse they could get cost $40,000 and came with a slew of features they have no use or desire for. I see what you're getting at with regard to the open-ended marketing (that virtually EVERY automaker resorts to), but ultimately, Buick isn't being any less honest so long as they're in line with their competition at similar price points. Not only does Buick do that in terms of competing with the ES 350, they offer significant upmarket options Lexus doesn't at any price (AWD or active suspension technology just to name two). Why would I care about rental-grade CXs if at the end of the day, I can pick up a CXL/CXS that acheives parity, if not outright superiority against the ES for thousands less?
macine says:
10:59 AM, 01/13/2011
Well 626, you seem to be in the minority of 1 who think the Lacrosse & ES aren't competitors. Even GM compares the Lacrosse to the ES, Acura TL and the Avalon.
Regardless, apparently its selling really well and its a big hit for Buick, so maybe you're right, maybe people aren't cross-shopping the ES at all.
to626n says:
08:42 PM, 01/12/2011
@ macine
Your right, the ES does have options or option packages however they do not make ES trim levels. The Lacrosse's top trim level (I beleive it's CSX or something like that) is comparable to the ES, but the way Buick/GM markets the car is very deceiving. It's ONLY a competitor in that trim level, all other Lacrosses are not considered luxury. You'll never see Lexus, MB, or BMW do this. All of their cars, even the base level with no options, are well equipped with luxury features. Buick tries so hard to pass itself off as a true luxury car, but when they offer a base car that is as stripped as a base Avalon or Taurus it is not a luxury car. A fully loaded Camry, Accord, Mazda6, Altima, and Fusion can be as well equipped as the Lacrosse but no one will ever compare them to a Lexus or any other luxury brand.
Empee says:
01:06 PM, 01/12/2011
"You do realize that even the Lexus ES does have options and not every ES sold is a fully optioned vehicle? If a Lacrosse CXS is cost competitive with a loaded ES than why to your mind is it not comparable? Most comparisons test the top level of both cars, with almost all options on them." - macine
Additionally, Buick recognizes this perception/clarity issues using trim levels causes. That's why the alphanumeric indicators on their mainstream models (CX, CXL, CXS) are going bye-bye in 2012. There may still be a 'hierarchy' of sorts in the ordering books based upon characteristics that significantly alter the abilities of the car (engine type/size, drivetrain, etc), but barring GSs (and maybe the eAssist mild hybrids), there won't be any outstandingly segregating badges on the trunklid.
macine says:
07:19 AM, 01/12/2011
to626
You do realize that even the Lexus ES does have options and not every ES sold is a fully optioned vehicle? If a Lacrosse CXS is cost competitive with a loaded ES than why to your mind is it not comparable? Most comparisons test the top level of both cars, with almost all options on them.
Going by the pictures of the Verano, the quality and feel of the Cruze, and the quality of Buick's new vehicles, I think the Verano will be a great little luxury car.